Education Reform – Flipped classrooms: Let’s change the discussion

By Brian E. Bennett on August 7th, 2012 |

Since Sal Khan’s 2011 TED Talk, the Khan Academy has been nearly synonymous with “flipped classrooms.” This is because since then, Khan Academy has been promoted by the Gates Foundation as well as major media outlets like CNN and CBS. But, what the media and outsiders (non-educators) fail to recognize is that Khan Academy is “just a tool” and not a methodology or pedagogy on its own. Debates have raged simultaneously in educators’ circles, especially in social media and blogs, about the benefits (or lack thereof) of flipping. Through all of this, the term “flipped classroom” or even “flipping” has been misconstrued and inaccurately represented. Rather than argue about titles or labels, let’s get into the philosophy of flipping.

Individual learning outcomes will be optimized only if brain based, research proven, classroom proven, learning methodologies are integrated into the learning experience of each and every student.

This is certainly a step in the right direction, but does not parallel the new learning model of: “instructor facilitated, truly personalized, learning, over time with instructor facilitated, truly personalized reinforcement, over time, in an instructor facilitated, truly personalized, blended learning environment, over time”